Following a successful Sonar meeting in Malaysia last year, RCF recently hosted a two-day meeting in Bali for its distributors in the region. ‘We like to think that we’re a big family and feel that these meetings help to strengthen our relationships,’ explained RCF’s Asian Pacific sales manager, Lars Yoshiyama. Distributors from as far afield as New Zealand and Japan came to Bali to better understand the latest RCF technologies and products, including the TT+, Media and Acustica loudspeakers, Ayra monitors, IPS amplifiers, Forum conferencing solutions, RDNet 2.0 software, together with the digital AX/MX matrix and DXT evacuation systems. The new Livepad mixers on display at the Hotel Magani certainly took the eye of all those who attended. The four new models represent a new market for RCF and fill a much-needed gap in its product catalogue as a complete solution provider in addition to providing increased brand visibility. The aggressively priced LivePad mixers feature USB interfaces, three-band equalisers, 99 pre-sets, 4-6 microphone inputs in addition to an MP3 recorder, Bluetooth and Player cards. ‘By having full control of the signal chain, the LivePad mixers are compatible to our other products and are more dedicated to our speaker designs,’ commented sales director Alberto Ruozzi. Mr Yoshiyama shed further light into the investment taken by RCF in hosting such an event. ‘Sales increased by over 30 per cent in the region last year, so we need to work more closely with our partners. You cannot really achieve that during a trade show such as Frankfurt Pro Light + Sound. On one hand, it is good for us as a manufacturer to spend two days explaining our products in greater detail, but on the other hand it is equally important for us to better understand how their markets work. At the same time, we encourage group discussions between different partners in a relaxed setting in which they can share their experiences and learn from one another. For example, some partners are stronger in the live than the fixed installation markets, so they can relate to one another and learn from each other’s experiences.’ Following the first day’s activities, the delegates spent the evening on a sunset cruise off the Bali coast.

This summer’s Ultra Europe Festival in Croatia saw a massive show of strength from RCF’s flagship TT+ line array system. Zagreb-based production company, Promo Logistika provided a mighty 72 of the high premium TTL55-A and 42 TTS56 subs — more than enough muscle and rumble to satisfy the stream of international DJ’s performing on the main stage. The global event itself took place in Europe for the first time over the first two days at the Poljud Stadium in Split, with 40 DJ’s appearing on three stages, before relocating to Hvar Island for the final VIP day with a single stage by the pool of the Hotel Amfora. With 35,000 people attending each of the first two days, the event will now remain exclusively in Croatia for the next five years under the licence of Ultra Miami. With wide experience in technical production for major events, concerts and festivals — such as Big Beach, Umagination and Discotheque Riva — Promo Logistika were entrusted with providing the technical infrastructure. “We were very proud to be involved,” stated director, Zoran Biškupić, whose company was working under the technical supervision and guidelines of the Ultra Miami production director. “We proposed RCF to the technical director who immediately approved, and they were more than happy with how the system sounded.” Promo Logistika has been steadily building up its RCF inventory over a four year period — but such was the requirement at this event that Audax Audio in Germany also assisted from their own stock. The speakers were designed into two main L/R hangs of 18 TTL55-A, with eight further elements on each side of the stage as outfills. Two delay towers were set further down the field, each with ten TTL55-A enclosures. The subs were positioned in a straight line in pairs (at 2 meter distance) and were electronically curved through RDNet, in order to control the directivity and widen the coverage. In addition, the DJ’s were well serviced with reference monitoring in the shape of four HDL 20-A’s and two HDL 18-AS subs per side. In conclusion, Zoran said, “Everyone was satisfied with the sound, and the technical director told us the system delivered more than he had expected." “For us the advantages of the TTL55-A were that the system was easy to assemble, it produced a really good output and offered great control through RDNet, RCF’s dedicated, integrated networking board." “We were very proud to have been owners of this RCF sound system and since the event have been suggesting this solution to all our clients and partners who are engaged in holding large-scale events and festivals.”

As the largest football stadium in the German Bundesliga, with a capacity of over 80,000, Signal Iduna Park — home of Borussia Dortmund (BVB) — recently sanctioned a radical upgrade to its public address system. Their aim was to achieve higher intelligibility, even pattern control (with extended low frequency capability) and unobscured sightlines — but most importantly to link the voice evacuation and stand systems into a unified network, that could be monitored, error- and health-checked remotely. The solution was provided by RCF.

The deployment of 14 RCF clusters of 14 TTL33-A MKII line array elements (with a TTS26-A sub at the base of each), will futureproof the famous stadium for decades to come. But the most remarkable aspect is that this is an entirely active solution, wrapped around the beams to keep the sightlines intact. Loaded with RCF’s proprietary RDNet DSP and additional electronics for monitoring it is this inherent software that has been programmed to integrate the new PA/VA evacuation system — thereby fulfilling the EN 60849 standard for performance requirements.

In Hollywood, entrepreneurial brothers Jonnie and Mark Houston are reinventing the nightlife scene from bottle service nightclubs to cocktail-focused themed venues. They currently operate a number of nightspots including the Cuban rum bar-themed La Descarga, the atmospheric Paris-themed Pour Vous and the Hollywood Piano Bar. Their latest incarnation is No Vacancy (1727 Hudson Av., Los Angeles, California), paying homage to Old Hollywood with a historic renovation of what the bar once was – a Victorian period house built in the early 1900s. While other venue concepts have been inspired by trips abroad, No Vacancy is closer to the hearts of the twin brothers who grew up in the neighborhood. “We restored the house as much as we could and brought it back to life with every little detail from the knobs to the antique wallpapers from the 1930s,” notes brother Mark in a recent interview. “The redesign and restoration was a history lesson of LA and its culture throughout the years. It feels like you walked into Old Hollywood with classic cocktails and old-school entertainment, incorporating a wire walked and tight rope act.” When creating a club concept, the Houston brothers strive to create an experience. They reach out in their designs to provide a cultural sophistication creating, “a vibe and an experience,” says Houston, “which incorporates design, a great cocktail program and entertainment that take you out of your everyday life.” To accomplish the fusion of audio and architecture, they called on Los Angeles-based Solid Design Audio, who had worked with the twin brothers previously on their Pour Vous club. “This year the Houston brothers gave us a little more freedom to create a sound design to match what they felt would become their signature venue, and as a result ours as well,” says Solid Design Audio principal Phillip Jordan. “This is an install we can be proud of.” Jordan opted to integrate the small-profile RCF TT051A active speakers, coupled with the small footprint of the S8015 subwoofers which allowed them to easily conceal the speakers. “RCF’s excellent design quality appealed to the client and the TT Series product cannot be matched for sound quality at any size,” says Jordan speaking of the design consciousness of eliminating the unsightliness of loudspeakers in the venue while still providing the foreground audio ambience. “We wanted a surface mount speaker that with the low ceiling would not be visually obvious, but would still be intelligible and loud yet allow listeners to still be able to talk to each other.” Jordan notes, “The TT051A with DSP processing can accommodate the veering styles of DJs and handle whatever you put through it. What is amazing about the TT051A is the 5 ½” two-way cabinet it able to produce frequencies down to 65 Hz.” And with the low-profile footprint of the S8015 (a 15” bass reflex subwoofer that’s only 12” high), “by cutting into the seating we were able to make the sub virtually disappear into the design and at the same time create an impressive warm punch". The system design includes an Ashly 24.24 zone system with sequenced Furman ASD120 power distribution. Each zone can be sourced by four DJ input locations. And each area – outside, upstairs bar, downstairs bar and dance floor – can be controlled independently. Power distribution allows the bar manager to sequentially activate each zone dependent on the use of the venue on any given night. Solid Design Audio is a team of designers and sound engineers who have become known for their focus on quality, design, creativity and precision in their club designs. The Pour Vous project they completed last year was voted one of the 10 best new bars in the U.S. by the CNN Eatocracy blog site. Located in the center of the new cultural revolution for quality design in venues sweeping the country, the design and integration company is at the forefront of nightlife venue engineering. More info on www.sodaaudio.com and novacancyla.com

The Hotel and Event Production Services division of AVI-SPL has recently added 52 of the RCF TT052a dual 5” active two-way speakers into their rental department portfolio. Citing the ultra-compact size and performance, the TT052a is the perfect solution to their truck pack case as they can easily fit six units plus pole mounts and other necessary audio gear in a 22 1/2”x30” total solution package. “Six units is the magic number for our gigs,” notes AVI-SPL Director of Audio Mario Rivera at AVI-SPL's Tampa, Florida office. That meets the needs of their Event Production Services division, as the AVI-SPL philosophy is to work with clients to identify the best ways to design, implement and manage their messages. When it came time to search for an updated solution for their rental department, they included the RCF product in the evaluation process. “We were looking for something that sounded great, aesthetically was compact and clean and versatile” notes Wallace L. Johnson, VP of Operations. “I've been a fan of RCF for quite some time,” noted Rivera, commenting on his familiarity of the brand dating back to the 80s. While in the DJ and nightclub scene at that time, “I noticed venues using a lot of speaker products with RCF drivers,” recognizing the higher end component and quality. When he heard the TT052a, “I was floored by the depth and sound,” says Rivera. “Amazed by low end frequencies range, how clean and how musical they sounded versus the flat response of other boxes we looked at.” The ultra compact size (19.4”x5.9”x7.5”) of the TT052a lends itself to most of what AVI-SPL’s Hotel and Event Production Services division does – conferences and breakout room sessions. While many of those sessions are simply talking heads, “we wanted something where program material sounded good without needing to add a subwoofer,” says Rivera. The TT052a is a two-way active wide dispersion speaker featuring two 5” woofers coupled with a 1” neodymium compression driver powered by a 300 watt class D amplifier with a frequency response 65Hz-20kHz. The wide angle 90-degree conical pattern makes audience coverage easy in a variety of situations. DSP on board processing offers a soft limiter, equalization adjustment, as well as thermal, excursion and RMS protection. AVI-SPL integrates the TT052a in a number of ways as they can be used for lip fill, center fill, laid on their side or on speaker stands. There is also a pipe clamp option available for truss mounting. In addition, “aesthetically they look nice. Our customers appreciate that,” noting how easily they seem to blend into the background.

For the second year in succession, RCF was chosen to support Japan’s Big Beach Festival (BBF) at the Makuhari Seaside Park in Chiba, which this year saw Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) — who performed at the Festival back in 2011— and Basement Jaxx as headliners. Promoted by Akira Kidoguchi and Masachika Fukui for A-life Entertainment Co. Ltd., rental company Comestock again equipped the three stages with premier active RCF TT+ Touring & Theatre systems to satisfy an audience totalling around 25,000 people. But in addition to the usual armoury of high-powered TT+ line arrays there was a surprise for anyone visiting the party tent known as the ‘Disco Balloon’. Six of the new TTP5-A enclosures (three per side) were making their Japanese debut in the Balloon — supplied (as with all the RCF equipment) by the Italian manufacturer’s territorial distributors, Ballad Co. Ltd. Dominated by its newly designed 4” compression driver, loaded on a dedicated waveguide to generate high power and pattern control, the system is designed to create horizontal or vertical arrays with a constant curvature. It derives its power and control from integrated two-channel 1600 Watt digital amplification and advanced digital processing. RCF product specialist, Oscar Mora provided technical support — assisting with flying the rig, during rehearsal and at the event itself, as well as advising on cabling issues and which crossover points the TTS56-A and TTL36-AS required. In a system tech role, he also demonstrated correct use of the RDNet software to ensure the TT+ systems were fully optimised and monitored. Comestock dug deep into their RCF inventory to provide superior sound coverage. The main stage saw 28 x TTL55-A enclosures, rigged in two hangs, reinforced by 12 x TTS56-A subs and 12 x TTL36-AS flyable bass, with a further 8 x TTL31-A provided for infill/nearfield coverage. DJ’s received their reference sound from an additional pair each of TT25-SMA monitors and TTS18-A subs. The second Island Stage saw 12 x TTL33-A elements, with four each of the TTS28-A and TTL36-AS providing LF extension. A pair of TT25-A and four NX15-SMA were provided for DJ monitoring. Finally, providing LF extension to the six TTP5-A enclosures in the Disco Balloon were a pair of RCF’s recently launched SUB 8006-AS, with DJ reference in the shape of the versatile TT22-A active, non-linear monitors. During the event there was a lottery for two pairs of white RCF Ayra 5 studio monitors signed by Norman Cook. Left to right: Yuka Onda (Ballad, marketing), Oscar Mora (RCF, tech support), RCF’s Lars Yoshiyama, Norman Cook, Ou Lifeng (Ballad, admin) Norman Cook was happy to be working in an RCF TT+ environment again, having previously used the TTL55-A at a beach concert in Croatia in 2011, while front-of house, sound engineer Shan Hira (who has worked with premier dance music specialists such as Basement Jaxx and Chemical Bros) was also more than happy with the impact created by the RCF system. Tasked with managing the strategic planning of RCF in the Japanese market, Lars Yoshiyama, also added his endorsement to the successful deployment — noting how well the new TTP-5A acquitted itself, and the punch of the 4” CD driver.